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29 July 2025
Oklahoma Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Andre Dominique Barnes (35, Lehigh Acres) to three years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Barnes to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he possessed during the offense. Barnes pleaded guilty on April 9, 2025.
According to court documents, on September 20, 2024, Barnes was stopped by the Florida Highway Patrol in Lee County for speeding. He was identified by his Oklahoma identification card and had a suspended driver license. Upon search of his vehicle, troopers located a loaded pistol. Court records show that Barnes was previously convicted of multiple felony offenses in Oklahoma. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Nurse Sentenced to 16 Months in Federal Prison for Tampering with and Stealing Lorazepam VialsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SEAN FALZARANO, 39, of Southbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 16 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for tampering with and stealing Lorazepam vials at the hospital where he was employed as a nurse.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Falzarano was employed at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) as a Registered Nurse. As part of his employment, Falzarano was granted access to secure locations used by YNHH to store controlled substances, including Lorazepam. On January 31, 2022, Falzarano took vials containing Lorazepam solution that he knew were intended to be dispensed to patients. He removed a portion of the Lorazepam solution from at least one of the vials, replaced the contents with an inert solution, and returned the vial to the secure location where it was available for distribution to patients. Falzarano was confronted on that date by YNHH employees who were investigating drug tampering. A search of Falzarano’s backpack revealed vials, crimping tools, saline, vial caps, and syringes.
On December 11, 2024, Falzarano pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product, and acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge.
Falzarano, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on October 21.
Falzarano’s nursing license is currently suspended.
This matter was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; the DEA’s Hartford Diversion Control Division; and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Possessing Gun While Released on Bond in another Federal CaseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTRUM COSTON, 42, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 36 months of imprisonment for unlawfully possessing a firearm while released on bond in another criminal case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 18, 2023, Judge Underhill sentenced Coston to 37 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for pandemic relief fraud, money laundering, and drug offenses. Judge Underhill ordered Coston, who was released on bond, to surrender for service of his sentence on November 29, 2023. On October 25, 2023, New Haven Police arrested Coston after they found him in possession of a loaded Taurus G3 9mm handgun with an extended magazine.
The 36-month sentence will run consecutively to Coston’s 37-month sentence from 2023.
Coston has been detained since his arrest. On October 28, 2024, he was convicted after trial of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possessing it while on federal release.
Coston’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions, including two federal convictions for firearm offenses.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel J. Gentile and Sean P. Mahard through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
New Castle Felon Sentenced to Six Years of Prison for Narcotics and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to violations of federal drug and firearm laws and was sentenced to six years of imprisonment on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Michael Rodich, 41, on July 28, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, on September 29, 2023, Rodich was arrested by the New Brighton Police Department. At the time of his arrest, Rodich, who was wanted by the Hermitage Police Department on an open arrest warrant, had a loaded firearm in his waistband as well as drug paraphernalia, crack, fentanyl pills, and $2,380 on his person. In his backpack, Rodich also had two baggies of crack, a bag of powder cocaine, a glass container of powder cocaine, stamp bags of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, a digital scale, a loaded magazine containing 10 rounds of ammunition, and 27 rounds of loose ammunition. Rodich was previously convicted of a felony. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
In connection with his plea, Rodich admitted to possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime, and to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
In imposing sentence, Judge Hardy stated that, among other things, “third-party deterrence is very important to this Court” and that perhaps those who are considering committing similar crimes will realize that there are “very significant consequences” if they are caught and will “think differently” before they act.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca L. Silinski and Jacqueline C. Brown prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Hermitage Police Department, New Brighton Police Department, and Ellwood City Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rodich.
Multi-Time Convicted Burglar Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Luis Miguel Alvizures (33, Guatemala) to two years in federal prison—the statutory maximum sentence—for illegally reentering the United States following deportation. Alvizures pleaded guilty on May 7, 2025.
According to court documents and information presented during the sentencing hearing, Alvizures, an alien and citizen of Guatemala, was deported from the United States in 2017. Following his deportation, Alvizures illegally reentered the country. While unlawfully present in the United States, Alvizures committed a string of burglaries of local businesses for which he was later convicted in state court. Should he return to the United States illegally in the future, Alvizures could face up to 10 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
Middleton Nail Salon Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tam Phan, 40, Middleton, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty yesterday to tax evasion in connection to her nail salon business, Happy Nails & Spa, in Middleton.
Phan has been the operator and sole proprietor of Happy Nails & Spa since 2010. The government’s investigation revealed that a large percentage of Happy Nails customers paid for their services with cash between 2021 and 2023. However, Phan’s tax returns for that time period only reported the credit card sales. During the plea hearing, Phan admitted that she intentionally failed to report the cash sales from Happy Nails & Spa on her 2022 federal tax return.
U.S. District Judge William M. Conley scheduled Phan’s sentencing for October 28, 2025. Phan faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
The charge against Phan was the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the prosecution.
Mexican man pleads guilty, sentenced for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alejandro Mendez Flores, 38, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to illegal re-entry of a removed alien. He was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, who is handling the case, stated that Mendez Flores is an alien without any legal status in the United States. A native and citizen of Mexico, he was physically removed in July 2019 after having illegally entered the United States. On April 30, 2025, Mendez Flores was found in Erie County in the Western District of New York.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 18 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Ranferi Cruz-Diaz, 33 years old, of Mexico residing in Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody after pleading guilty to being an unlawful or illegal alien in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Cruz-Diaz was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on January 31, 2025, Cruz-Diaz pointed a firearm at his roommate’s head while illegally in the country. He had previously been removed from the United States on two occasions.
“Cruz-Diaz ignored federal law by entering the country illegally, and he ignored it again by acquiring a gun that he was not permitted to have,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “His actions showcase why Congress barred unlawful or illegal aliens like him from possessing firearms. I thank all the investigators, prosecutors, and support staff who brought him to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force and the Hammond Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ambris Saravanan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to his role in a racketeering conspiracy to transport aliens, harbor aliens, encourage and induce aliens to reside in the United States, and falsify Form I-9 documentation.
Lorenzo Castro-Manzanarez, 43, a Mexican National living in Springfield, Mo., admitted that he was part of a RICO (racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations) conspiracy from Jan. 1, 2018, to Aug. 10, 2021, that, amongst other things, transported and harbored aliens not authorized to live or work in the United States. Castro-Manzanarez admitted that as part of the conspiracy he also encouraged and induced aliens to reside in the United States in violation of the law by providing them with employment and allowing them to work under fraudulent identification documentation. Castro-Manzanarez took these actions in furtherance of keeping multiple Mexican restaurants across the Midwest staffed and profitable, thereby gaining an illegal competitive business advantage. Castro-Manzanarez also admitted that as part of the conspiracy he falsely claimed and attested to be a United States citizen on a Form I-9 and utilized a counterfeit Social Security card as part of the Form I-9 process.
Castro-Manzanarez also admitted that after being indicted in this case—and while on bond—he continued to break federal law by employing aliens, providing aliens with housing at residences in his name, and allowing aliens to work at his restaurants utilizing fraudulent identification documentation, including counterfeit Social Security cards. Castro-Manzanarez further admitted that he took these illegal actions to ensure his restaurants in Springfield, Mo., Columbia, Mo., and Jefferson City, Mo., remained staffed and profitable.
Castro-Manzanarez was taken into custody at the conclusion of his plea hearing and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Under federal statutes, Castro-Manzanarez is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of Castro-Manzanarez will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rudolph R. Rhodes IV, Nicholas P. Heberle, David Wagner, and Leigh Farmakidis. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service; Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations; Kansas Bureau of Investigation; Kansas Department of Labor; Missouri State Highway Patrol; Kansas Highway Patrol; and Butler Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Memphis Man Sentenced to over 18 Years for Carjacking and Shooting of 60-Year-Old VictimRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - A federal judge sentenced a Memphis man to over 18 years in prison and five years of supervised release today for carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and discharging a firearm during the carjacking.
“This was a calculated and brutal act of violence against an unsuspecting man in his own front yard in broad daylight,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their swift response and commitment to public safety. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively prosecute armed offenders who threaten the safety of our neighborhoods.”
“The premeditated and horrendous acts of violence that this individual committed demonstrates a blatant disregard for human life,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division. “The ATF along with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, remains committed to combatting violent crime and swiftly bringing these individuals to justice before they commit other senseless acts of violence.”
According to court documents, on May 16, 2024, at around 7:45 a.m., Jaylen Simpson, 23, of Memphis, shot a 60-year-old victim in the stomach as the victim stepped outside his home to mow the lawn. Simpson, who had been hiding in the victim’s backyard, then stole the victim’s car keys and fled in his vehicle.
Home surveillance footage from the victim’s home, showing the defendant entering the victim’s vehicle with a black handgun after shooting the victim in the stomach.
After pursuing him for nearly three hours by car and on foot, Memphis Police apprehended Simpson, who was carrying inside his backpack a loaded Walther Creed 9mm pistol that had been reported stolen days before. In an interview later that day, Simpson admitted to waiting outside the victim’s home, discharging the firearm, and stealing the victim’s car. The victim was hospitalized for four weeks and underwent multiple surgeries to treat the gunshot wound.
Before any evidence was presented at trial, Simpson pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of the crime.
The ATF and the Memphis Police Department Violent Crime Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods efforts to prosecute violent crimes in Memphis, Tennessee and surrounding areas.
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Memphis Man Sentenced to over 18 Years for Carjacking and Shooting of 60-Year-Old VictimRead the Press Release
A federal judge sentenced a Memphis man to over 18 years in prison and five years of supervised release today for carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and discharging a firearm during the carjacking.
“This was a calculated and brutal act of violence against an unsuspecting man in his own front yard in broad daylight,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their swift response and commitment to public safety. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively prosecute armed offenders who threaten the safety of our neighborhoods.”
“The premeditated and horrendous acts of violence that this individual committed demonstrates a blatant disregard for human life,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division. “The ATF along with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, remains committed to combatting violent crime and swiftly bringing these individuals to justice before they commit other senseless acts of violence.”
According to court documents, on May 16, 2024, at around 7:45 a.m., Jaylen Simpson, 23, of Memphis, shot a 60-year-old victim in the stomach as the victim stepped outside his home to mow the lawn. Simpson, who had been hiding in the victim’s backyard, then stole the victim’s car keys and fled in his vehicle.
Home surveillance footage from the victim’s home, showing the defendant entering the victim’s vehicle with a black handgun after shooting the victim in the stomach.After pursuing him for nearly three hours by car and on foot, Memphis Police apprehended Simpson, who was carrying inside his backpack a loaded Walther Creed 9mm pistol that had been reported stolen days before. In an interview later that day, Simpson admitted to waiting outside the victim’s home, discharging the firearm, and stealing the victim’s car. The victim was hospitalized for four weeks and underwent multiple surgeries to treat the gunshot wound.
Before any evidence was presented at trial, Simpson pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of the crime.
The ATF and the Memphis Police Department Violent Crime Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods efforts to prosecute violent crimes in Memphis, Tennessee and surrounding areas.
Manchester Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute More Than 3 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy responsible for distributing methamphetamine in the Manchester area, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Zachary Austin, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante to 84 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. On February 25, 2025, Austin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Austin’s co-defendant, Joseph Coffey, has also pleaded guilty and will be sentenced at a later date.
“Distributing three pounds of methamphetamine is a serious crime with serious consequences,” said Acting United States Attorney Jay McCormack. “This seven-year sentence reflects the harm these drugs inflict on our communities and the commitment of law enforcement to hold drug traffickers accountable.”
“DEA stands committed to keeping highly addictive drugs like methamphetamine off the streets of New Hampshire,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, New England Field Division. “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Austin accountable for his crimes but should serve as a warning to those traffickers who are contributing to the drug crisis in New England and across the United States. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The DEA is dedicated to bringing to justice those that commit these crimes.”
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Austin and Coffey operated a methamphetamine distribution business out of their shared Manchester apartment. Between July and September 2024, Austin and Coffey sold methamphetamine to law enforcement on five occasions. Searches of their apartment and vehicle later uncovered additional methamphetamine. In total, law enforcement recovered approximately 1.66 kilograms, or 3.66 pounds, of methamphetamine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
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Man Who Attempted to Stab Flight Attendant and Open Airplane Door Mid-Flight SentencedRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Leominster, Mass. man was sentenced today for attempting to open an emergency exit door while aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston and then attempting to stab a flight attendant in the neck with a broken metal spoon.
Francisco Severo Torres, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to time served (approximately 26 months in prison) to be followed by five years of supervised release, during which the defendant is prohibited from flying on a commercial aircraft. In May 2025, Torres pleaded guilty to one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon. Torres was charged by criminal complaint in March 2023 following his arrest at Boston Logan International Airport. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023.
On March 5, 2023, Torres was a passenger aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston. Approximately 45 minutes prior to landing, the flight crew received an alarm in the cockpit that a starboard side door located between the first class and coach sections of the aircraft was disarmed. Upon inspection, a flight attendant found that the door’s locking handle had been moved out of the fully locked position – approximately a quarter of the way towards the unlocked position – and that the emergency slide arming lever had been moved to the “disarmed” position. The flight attendant reported this to the captain and flight crew after securing the door and emergency slide.
In subsequent discussions, a fellow flight attendant reported that he had observed Torres near the door and believed Torres had tampered with the door. A flight attendant then confronted Torres about tampering with the door, to which he responded by asking if there were cameras showing that he had done so. The flight attendant then notified the captain that they believed Torres posed a threat to the aircraft and that the captain needed to land the aircraft as soon as possible.
Shortly thereafter, Torres got out of his seat and approached the starboard side door where two flight attendants were standing in the aisle. One of the flight attendants saw Torres mouthing something that he could not hear. Video taken by a passenger depicts Torres yelling at points that he would “kill every man on this plane” and “I’m taking over this plane.” Torres then thrust towards one of the flight attendants in a stabbing motion with a broken metal spoon, hitting the flight attendant on the neck area three times. Passengers then tackled and restrained Torres with the assistance of flight crew. Torres was immediately taken into custody upon the flight’s arrival to Boston.
During subsequent interviews, passengers who were aboard the flight reported that Torres asked a fellow passenger where on the safety card it showed where the door handle was located prior to takeoff and that Torres was seen pacing in a galley before attacking the flight attendant.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Man Admits Being Caught with Gun and Drugs After Striking City of St. Louis Worker During ChaseRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man who was fleeing from St. Louis police with a gun and drugs in his car when he struck and injured a city employee pleaded guilty Tuesday.
Jorden M. Owens, 23, of Florissant, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and one count of possession with the intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl. Owens admitted being spotted by St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers on Dec. 12, 2024, near the intersection of Page Boulevard and Vandeventer Avenue in a stolen Lexus RC350 coupe. Officers began following Owens on Grand Boulevard, then used spike strips to try and safely stop him. Owens fled at a high rate of speed. His reckless driving caused about 60 employees of a local business who were crossing the street near Tucker Boulevard and Chouteau Avenue to run out of the way. At the intersection of 7th Street and Cerre Street, Owens struck and injured an employee of the City of St. Louis Traffic Division and then crashed into her work truck. He was arrested after fleeing the crash on foot, despite his violent attempts to resist that arrest. Owens had a Glock .40-caliber pistol equipped with an auto sear, or “switch,” that rendered it into a fully automatic weapon in the bag he carried. The car contained three cell phones and a total of 824.7 grams (1.8 pounds) of methamphetamine and 342 grams of fentanyl.
Owens is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3. Each count is punishable by from five to 40 years in prison.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Delworth is prosecuting the case.
Mexican Man Charged for Illegal Possession of a Firearm in Gulf BreezeRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Teodoro Rodriguez-Alvarez, 34, of the country of Mexico, has been charged in federal court with Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien. The charges were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Court documents allege that, on July 15, 2025, Gulf Breeze Police Department responded to the Pensacola Bay Bridge in reference to a pickup truck stopped in the emergency lane with an unconscious male in the driver’s seat. The driver was identified as Teodoro Rodriguez-Alvarez and was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and illegal possession of a firearm.
The case involved an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Gulf Breeze Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Carlos Aldalberto Hernandez, Jr., 31, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 24, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Hernandez to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hernandez’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
In April and May of 2024, a confidential informant made a total of four purchases of methamphetamine from two of Hernandez’s housemates in Lincoln. Those purchases ranged from approximately ¼ ounce up to approximately ½ ounce of methamphetamine. The last of those purchases occurred on May 6, 2024. A search warrant was executed at Hernandez’s residence on that date. During that search, investigators found a cardboard box containing 14 baggies of methamphetamine in Hernandez’s bedroom. Additional smaller amounts of methamphetamine were found throughout the house. The total amount of methamphetamine found was approximately 610 grams. One of Hernandez’s co-conspirators had an additional ½ ounce of methamphetamine in his vehicle. Three of the baggies found in the house were analyzed for purity and were found to contain at least 170 grams of actual methamphetamine. A cooperating witness told investigators that Hernandez had been living at the house for about six weeks prior to the search and was a source of methamphetamine for other residents of the house.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Carlos Aldalberto Hernandez, Jr., 31, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 24, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Hernandez to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hernandez’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
In April and May of 2024, a confidential informant made a total of four purchases of methamphetamine from two of Hernandez’s housemates in Lincoln. Those purchases ranged from approximately ¼ ounce up to approximately ½ ounce of methamphetamine. The last of those purchases occurred on May 6, 2024. A search warrant was executed at Hernandez’s residence on that date. During that search, investigators found a cardboard box containing 14 baggies of methamphetamine in Hernandez’s bedroom. Additional smaller amounts of methamphetamine were found throughout the house. The total amount of methamphetamine found was approximately 610 grams. One of Hernandez’s co-conspirators had an additional ½ ounce of methamphetamine in his vehicle. Three of the baggies found in the house were analyzed for purity and were found to contain at least 170 grams of actual methamphetamine. A cooperating witness told investigators that Hernandez had been living at the house for about six weeks prior to the search and was a source of methamphetamine for other residents of the house.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Justice Department Finds the University of California-Los Angeles in Violation of Federal Civil Rights LawRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced that the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by acting with deliberate indifference in creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students.
The Civil Rights Division’s Notice of Violation finds that UCLA failed to adequately respond to complaints of severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive harassment and abuse that Jewish and Israeli students faced on its campus from October 7, 2023, to the present.
“Our investigation into the University of California system has found concerning evidence of systemic anti-Semitism at UCLA that demands severe accountability from the institution,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This disgusting breach of civil rights against students will not stand: DOJ will force UCLA to pay a heavy price for putting Jewish Americans at risk and continue our ongoing investigations into other campuses in the UC system.”
“UCLA failed to take timely and appropriate action in response to credible claims of harm and hostility on its campus,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Its inaction constitutes a clear violation of our federal civil rights laws, and the Justice Department will hold UCLA accountable to their legal obligations so that all students can have equal protection under the law.”
The Civil Rights Division enforces federal civil rights laws that protect students from discrimination based on religion, national origin, and other protected characteristics. This includes Title VI, which prohibits such discrimination by recipients of federal financial assistance.
Justice Department Announces Successful Completion of Agreement on Custodial Informant Reforms with the Orange County Sheriff’s DepartmentRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced the successful completion of the Justice Department’s Jan. 17, Agreement for the Sustainability of Custodial Informant Reforms with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) in California to sustain reforms addressing OCSD’s prior pattern or practice of using custodial informants in a manner that violated the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution.
Under the Agreement, OCSD implemented enhancement and sustainability measures with respect to its policies, training, information systems, and auditing procedures and the information it makes publicly available related to its use of custodial informants. These measures adequately ensure that OCSD’s reforms to prevent the use of custodial informants in an unconstitutional manner are durable and robust.
“The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has demonstrated an enduring commitment to protecting the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendment rights of those in its jurisdiction,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We commend the Sheriff and his staff for their efforts in doing their part to ensure the integrity of criminal prosecutions.”
To read the original press release announcing the findings of the investigation, click here. To read the report of the investigation, click here. To read the original OCSD Settlement Agreement, click here. To read the Validation Assessment Report, click here. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
July 2025: Grand Jury for the District of NebraskaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 30 unsealed Indictments charging 31 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jeffery Robinson, age 49, of Springfield, Nebraska, is charged with failure to register pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) from on or about April 7, 2025, through on or about May 2, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not more than 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Devon Rice, age 28, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with attempted production of child pornography beginning at least on or about May 30, 2025, and continuing to on or about June 18, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and not more than 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Dakota Parrott, age 32, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about March 24, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Joshua Hollum, age 46, of Kearney, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Hollum with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about February 4, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Hollum with use and carry of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about February 4, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to life imprisonment consecutive to Count I, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not more than 5 years, and a $100 special assessment.
Victor Zavala Garcia, age 53, of Crete, Nebraska, is charged with making false statement in an application for a passport on or about June 5, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Tyson Bauer, age 47, of Deshler, Nebraska, is charged with knowingly making false statement for the purpose of influencing the action of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation on or about December 14, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Eulisis Martin, age 34, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Count I charges Martin with attempting malicious damage to federal property using explosive materials on or about June 9, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Martin with possession of a destructive device commonly known as a Molotov cocktail on or about June 9, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Martin with destruction of government property on or about June 14, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges Martin with impeding, intimidating or interfering with federal officials by threat beginning from on or about June 9, 2025, and continuing until on or about June 14, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 6 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Cristian Manuel Tovar-Olivares, age 25, and Snaider Sthiferson Castro Hidalgo, age 32, both of Kearney, Nebraska, are charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Tovar-Olivares and Castro Hidalgo with conspiracy to commit bank burglary and unauthorized access of a protected computer on or about July 6, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Tovar-Olivares and Castro Hidalgo with attempted bank burglary on or about July 6, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Tovar-Olivares and Castro Hidalgo with unauthorized access of a protected computer on or about July 6, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Daryl J. Leise, age 56, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with three counts of bank fraud on or about June 21, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for each count.
Carina Guadalupe Salazar-Zuniga, age 33, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Salazar-Zuniga with fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents from on or about December 19, 2024, through on or about May 28, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Salazar-Zuniga with buying a counterfeit social security card on or about December 19, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Cody Chilson, age 33, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with escape from custody on or about June 5, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Salih M. Samin Totakhil, age 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with international parental kidnapping on or about March 19, 2022, and continuing to at least on or about March 31, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 3 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Tyrece D. Thomas, age 24, of Macy, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Thomas with sexual assault by force or threat on or about June 8, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charged Thomas with sexual assault by threat on or about June 8, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Guadalupe Cabrera Mejia, age 38, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Cabrera Mejia with false representation of a social security number on or about January 30, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Cabrera Mejia with fraud and misuse of false identification documents on or about January 30, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Cabrera Mejia with false claim to U.S. citizenship on or about January 30, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Marvin Aleman Zepeda, age 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with assault, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a deadly or dangerous weapon on or about June 10, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Thomas M. Laughlin, age 45, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about May 26, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Rodolfo De Leon Cua, age 46, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two count Indictment. Count I charges De Leon Cua with transportation of child pornography between on or about February 1, 2024, and on or about June 30, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges De Leon Cua with possession of child pornography on or about February 5, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Joyce M. Beauchamp, age 39, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a three count Indictment. Count I charges Beauchamp with production or attempted production of child pornography beginning on an unknown date and continuing through on or about December 31, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Beauchamp with production or attempted production of child pornography beginning on an unknown date and continuing through on or about December 31, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Beauchamp with distribution of child pornography beginning on an unknown date and continuing through on or about February 14, 2023. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Juan Cabrera Rivera, age 38, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a three count Indictment. Count I charges Cabrea Rivera with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine beginning on or about May 6, 2024, and continuing to on or about May 14, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Cabrera Rivera with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about May 6, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Cabrera Rivera possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about May 14, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Travell Richard, age 36, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about December 6, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Michael Krauth, age 63, of Fremont, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about March 4, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Tresean E. Washington, age 32, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about April 6, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Osmar Lorenzo-Genchi, age 20, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two count Indictment. Count I charges Lorenzo-Genchi with assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal law enforcement officers involving the intent to commit another felony on or about June 10, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 8 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Lorenzo-Genchi with willfully injuring or committing any depredation against any property of the United States in excess of $1,000.00 on or about June 10, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, age 30, of Bellevue, Nebraska, is charged in a three count Indictment. Count I charges Hurtado-Cariaco with attempted murder of a federal officer on or about June 18, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Hurtado-Cariaco with assault, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees on or about June 18, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Hurtado-Cariaco with resisting a federal officer on or about June 18, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 1 year imprisonment, a $100,000 fine, a 1-year term of supervised release, and a $25 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or her designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Tomas Castillo-Martinez, age 30
Carlos Humberto Barrios Perez, age 52
Dulce Anel Franco-Cortez, age 31
Ignacio Galvez Aguilar, age 39
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States following a felony conviction and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or her designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Nelson Enrique Rivera-Maradiaga, age 45
Francisco Meza-Carmona, age 42
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Jefferson County drug dealer sentenced to federal prison for firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Beaumont drug dealer has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Sterling Van Johnson, 43, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 29, 2025.
According to information presented in court, while investigating drug trafficking activity in Beaumont, several controlled purchases of narcotics were made with Johnson. In September 2024, a search warrant was executed at a Beaumont residence Johnson was selling drugs from and officers recovered various narcotics and two firearms. Johnson admitted to possessing the drugs for distribution and possessing the firearm as part of that activity.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
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Jefferson County couple sentenced to federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery of Nederland convenience storeRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Jefferson County couple have been sentenced to federal prison for attempting to rob a convenience store in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Cole Ethan Schroeder, 21, of Beaumont pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to a total of 114 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 21, 2025.
Carley Melana Fowler, 21, of Nederland, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison by Judge Crone on July 29, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on September 2, 2024, Schroeder and Fowler were captured on surveillance video entering a Citgo Food Mart convenience store/gas station in Nederland wearing face masks. Fowler, who was carrying a bag, positioned an object in the doorway that prevented the door from closing completely. She stood next to Schroeder with the bag held open as Schroeder brandished an AR-style rifle and ordered a store employee to put money in the bag Fowler was holding. A physical struggle began between the store employee and the defendants, resulting in Schroeder striking the employee several times with the rifle, causing injuries. Schroeder and Fowler fled without obtaining any money from the convenience store and were located by law enforcement and arrested at a nearby RV park.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Nederland Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy Coleman.
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Illegal Re-Entrant with Prior Murder and Narcotics Convictions Sentenced to 100 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Ricky J. Patel, announced that JUAN CARLOS PADILLA SANTOS was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick to 100 months in prison for illegally re-entering the U.S. after having been previously deported twice and having been the subject of a third removal order. In connection with the instant illegal re-entry offense, PADILLA SANTOS made false statements to immigration authorities and on a green card replacement form he had submitted.
“Juan Carlos Padilla Santos was previously deported after he committed multiple serious drug offenses in the U.S.,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Like so many, Santos then deceitfully and illegally exploited our immigration system. Dangerous felons who return to this country illegally after being deported will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We thank the women and men of Homeland Security Investigations for their commitment to these matters.”
“Juan Carlos Padilla Santos exhibited time and time again his disregard for our immigration laws needed for public safety,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “With a history that includes murder, narcotics possession, and even apparently faking his own death, this defendant took repeated steps to illegally enter and re-enter the United States. Padilla Santos now faces a significant sentence for his actions.”
According to the indictment, court filings, and statements made in court:
PADILLA SANTOS was deported from the U.S. for the first time in 2010, after he was convicted of conspiring to distribute narcotics and sentenced to nearly seven and a half years in prison. Less than a year after being deported, he re-entered the U.S. illegally and was again ordered to be removed, in absentia. In 2016, PADILLA SANTOS was convicted of murder in the Dominican Republic and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Instead of serving that sentence, PADILLA SANTOS again returned to the U.S. illegally, where in 2018 he was convicted of possessing cocaine and bail jumping, and ultimately deported for a second time. In 2019, PADILLA SANTOS appears to have falsified his death in the Dominican Republic and, in 2021, he illegally re-entered the U.S. for a third time. In doing so, he made false statements to U.S. Customs and Border Protection claiming to be a valid lawful permanent resident of the U.S. and subsequently submitted a U.S. green card replacement form in which he stated under penalty of perjury that he had never previously been deported or ordered to be removed.
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In addition to his prison term, PADILLA SANTOS, 50, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI New York and thanked Enforcement and Removal Operations and its Criminal Prosecutions Unit, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office of Fraud Detection and National Security, and HSI Santo Domingo International Operations for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Cheng is in charge of the prosecution.
Houston Man Sentenced to 120 months in Federal Prison for “Jugging” Robbery of ATM TechnicianRead the Press Release
A Houston, Texas man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison following his guilty plea to the “jugging” robbery of an ATM technician, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson. A “jugging” robbery is a type of theft where thieves follow a victim as they service or withdraw cash from ATMs or banks and then rob them.
Houston resident Johnny Juwan Clark, 33, and three others were charged in a superseding indictment in December 2024, with conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery that occurred on July 3, 2024. Corey Dashun Holloway, Tierra Toneisha Brandyberg and Roosevelt Ford Valentine, all of Houston, Texas, were also charged in the December 2024 superseding indictment. Clark pleaded guilty in April 2025 to the felony charge of interference with commerce by robbery. At the time Clark committed this robbery, he was on supervised release after serving a federal prison term for a prior robbery conviction. Today, U.S. Chief District Judge David Godbey sentenced Clark to 96 months for the current robbery conviction and a consecutive sentence of 24 months’ imprisonment as a revocation sentence in Clark’s prior robbery case, totaling 120 months in federal prison.
Clark, Brandyberg, Holloway, and Valentine have been linked to a Houston-based criminal organization called the “Hiram Clarke Money Team.” HCMT members are known to routinely travel to areas outside of Houston and engage in “jugging” style robberies and other forms of theft.
During his guilty plea hearing in April, Clark stipulated that during the early morning hours of July 3, 2024, he traveled from Houston, Texas to the Dallas metroplex in a rental car with the intent to commit robbery. Clark admitted that after arriving in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, he followed an ATM technician to multiple stops as the technician repaired ATMs in Irving, Grand Prairie, Arlington, and ultimately, Midlothian, Texas.
Clark admitted that, at approximately 5:35 p.m. on July 3, 2024, he approached the ATM technician as he was servicing an ATM at a Chase Bank located in Midlothian, Texas. Clark was wearing a hoodie and face covering to disguise his appearance. Clark approached the technician from behind and forced him to the ground. Clark kept his fist to the back of the victim’s head as cannisters containing United States currency were removed from the ATM by codefendants Holloway and Valentine. Approximately $248,000 in United States currency was taken during the robbery. During his court proceeding, Clark admitted that he was the individual forcing the technician to the ground in the photograph below.
Court documents reflect that, after the robbery, Clark and two of his codefendants fled from the Chase Bank in the rental car and met codefendant Tierra Tonisha Brandyberg at an apartment complex in close proximity to the bank. The stolen money was loaded into a Range Rover and driven back to Houston, Texas. After arriving in Houston, Clark and Brandyberg used some of the stolen money to purchase a S-Class Mercedes Benz and jewelry.
Codefendant Tierra Toneisha Brandyberg entered a guilty plea on July 8, 2025 and is awaiting sentencing. Cory Holloway has filed documents advising the court of his intention to plead guilty and is set for re-arraignment in August 2025. Codefendant Roosevelt Valentine is set for jury trial in September 2025.
The FBI (Dallas Division) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is prosecuting the case.
Honduran man pleads guilty to illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Marvin Jose Espana, 46, a citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to illegal re-entry of a removed alien. He was sentenced to time serve and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, who is handling the case, stated that Espana is an alien without any legal status in the United States. A a native and citizen of Honduras, he was removed from the United States in June 2007, and again in August 2014. On April 15, 2025, Espana was found in Erie County in the Western District of New York.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are a result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Martin Coombs.
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Honduran National Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Edis Odalis Banegas, 45, a Honduran national unlawfully residing in Portland, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release Monday for possessing and distributing fentanyl in Oregon.
According to court documents, on September 6, 2023, as part of a drug trafficking investigation, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle occupied by Banegas and his co-conspirator. During a search of the vehicle, officers located and seized fentanyl and Super Mannitol, a cutting agent used to mix with fentanyl for further distribution, and arrested Banegas and his co-conspirator.
Later the same day, investigators executed search warrants on Banegas’s residence and storage unit. Investigators located and seized additional fentanyl powder, counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, Super Mannitol, three firearms, ammunition, and equipment to process fentanyl including vice presses, a scale, masks, and a blender. In total, more than ten pounds of fentanyl and Super Mannitol were seized.
On September 19, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Banegas with conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On February 5, 2025, Banegas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN) team, Portland Police Bureau, and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Elmer Modesto Rodriguez Amador (41, Honduras) today pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Amador faces a penalty of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II (Joint Venture) is enrolled in E-Verify, a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees. E-Verify is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The SSA and USCIS verify the submitted information against the records of actual persons who are authorized to work in the United States. E-Verify is a voluntary program for employers and requires documents such as a Social Security card and photo identification of a prospective employee. From 2019 through at least 2022, Amador used the means of identification of other persons to defeat the E-Verify system, obtain employment at the Joint Venture, and to commit the felony offenses of misuse of a Social Security number and false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
Hollidaysburg Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Forging U.S. District Judge’s SignatureRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on July 25, 2025, to violating federal forgery laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Michael Brandon Cohen, 41, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines to two counts of forging the signature of a United States District Judge.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, in 2022, Cohen was licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Cohen was retained to represent a victim in a civil lawsuit against a healthcare company, and informed the victim that he filed the lawsuit on the victim’s behalf in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania; however, Cohen never filed the lawsuit.
On May 18, 2022, and October 13, 2022, Cohen sent the victim fake court orders purportedly issued by Chief United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Matthew W. Brann in the victim’s favor against the healthcare company. The orders awarded the victim monetary sanctions and fees and bore the electronic signature of the Chief Judge. Chief Judge Brann never issued the orders and, therefore, did not authorize his electronic signature on the orders. Rather, Cohen forged Chief Judge Brann’s signature on the fake orders in an effort to authenticate their legitimacy to his victim client.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for November 18, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carl J. Spindler and Mark V. Gurzo are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cohen.
Hammond Man Sentenced for Violating Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KYLIN SEXTON (“SEXTON”), age 25, a resident of Hammond, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown on July 24, 2025, to a sentence of time served, for possessing marijuana and cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). Additionally, SEXTON was ordered to serve three (3) years of supervised release following his release from prison.
According to court records, on May 18, 2022, the Ponchatoula Police Department was dispatched to a retail establishment after receiving a complaint that SEXTON’s cousin, Tyshon Coleman, was in possession of a firearm. Upon arriving in the parking lot, the officers located the vehicle and observed Coleman and SEXTON seated inside of the vehicle. Given the nature of the complaint, the officers approached the vehicle and ordered Coleman to show his hands. Coleman refused to comply and refused to place his hands behind his back when the officers attempted to remove him from the vehicle. After finally removing Coleman from the vehicle, officers observed a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter handgun and extended magazine, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, between the passenger seat and center console. The firearm had a machine gun conversion device, a Glock switch, attached to it.
Coleman pled guilty to possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a machine gun on September 19, 2024, and was sentenced to 106 months imprisonment on December 19, 2024.
The officers also observed a green backpack on the floorboard of the driver’s side where SEXTON was seated. Upon opening the greed backpack, the officers located marijuana and cocaine hydrochloride packaged for distribution.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit.
Guatemalan National Sentenced to 21 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul Byron has sentenced Jorge Mendez-Bamaca (33, Guatemala) to 21 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Mendez-Bamaca entered a guilty plea on April 21, 2025.
According to court records, Mendez-Bamaca, a citizen of Guatemala, was convicted in Florida state court of fleeing or attempting to elude siren lights on November 24, 2015, possession of cocaine on May 1, 2018, and lewd and lascivious molestation on November 15, 2018. As a result of his conviction of lewd and lascivious molestation, Mendez-Bamaca was required to register as a sex offender. Mendez-Bamaca was deported from the United States on February 26, 2019.
Mendez-Bamaca was arrested on January 16, 2025, by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office for driving without a valid license and giving false identification to law enforcement. After his arrest, law enforcement learned that Mendez-Bamaca was present in the United States illegally and that he had not registered as a sex offender in Florida.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
Guatemalan National Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison for Dealing Methamphetamine and CocaineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger today sentenced Augusto Rene Reyes-Gonzalez (37, Orlando), a/k/a “Zorro,” to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and illegal reentry after prior deportation. Reyes-Gonzalez pleaded guilty to illegal reentry on April 18, 2025. Three days later, on the first day of trial, he pleaded guilty to the remaining charges. On May 21, 2025, co-conspirator Calos Grijalva-Garcia was sentenced to 18 months and co-conspirator Brandon Charod Smith was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months.
According to court documents, from August through December 2023, Reyes-Gonzalez served as a connection for a law enforcement confidential informant, offering “[w]hatever drug you want I can get it, whatever you ask for. If you want fentanyl I can get it. . . I get whatever nasty thing you want.” In five separate transactions, Reyes-Gonzalez helped the law enforcement source purchase cocaine through Grijalva-Garcia. On four separate occasions, Reyes-Gonzalez facilitated the sale of several pounds of methamphetamine sold by Smith, along with a firearm sold by another supplier.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, with assistance from the FBI, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rockledge Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Cruz, Megan Testerman, and Dana E. Hill.
Frederick Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Trafficking and Machinegun Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Jonathan Drew Bartgis, 26, of Frederick, Maryland, pled guilty to one count of firearms trafficking and one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Jason Lando, Frederick Police Department (FPD).
According to the guilty plea, the USPIS and ATF began investigating a channel on the social media application Telegram that advertised the sale of firearms and machinegun conversion devices. These conversion devices, also known as “Glock switches,” are designed to convert semi-automatic Glock-style pistols into fully automatic firearms.
Through the investigation, postal inspectors identified a parcel inbound to Frederick, Maryland, that investigators believed contained a firearm sold on the social-media channel. After obtaining a search warrant to search the parcel, postal inspectors recovered a Glock 23, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine and 30 rounds of ammunition. The parcel was addressed to Bartgis’s residence.
After executing a search warrant on Bartgis’s residence, postal inspectors and FPD officers recovered an additional Glock 29, 10mm semi-automatic firearm, and three machinegun conversion devices, or “Glock switches.” Inside of Bartgis’s bedroom, postal inspectors and FPD officers uncovered more than 400 rounds of ammunition, multiple Glock handgun cases, numerous unloaded and loaded firearms magazines, assorted firearm parts, accessories, and manufacturing tools. Law enforcement also found empty boxes for privately made firearms, which are referred to as a “ghost guns,” as there is no serial number on the firearm.
Additionally, postal inspectors and FPD officers located $21,660 in United States currency and Bartgis’s cell phone. On the cell phone, postal inspectors discovered conversations between Bartgis and others in connection with the illegal purchase of the recovered firearms and trafficking firearms and Glock switches. Bartgis has a prior felony conviction, so he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, ATF, and FPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Rigney who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Founder and CEO of AML Bitcoin Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Multi-Million-Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Cryptocurrency founder and CEO Rowland Marcus Andrade was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering. Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg handed down the sentence.
At the conclusion of a five-week trial in March 2025, a jury found Andrade, 47, guilty of wire fraud and money laundering in connection with the fraudulent marketing and sale of a cryptocurrency called AML Bitcoin, a scheme that raised millions of dollars through false and misleading statements to investors about the cryptocurrency and the purported technology behind it.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Andrade made false statements to the public and potential purchasers of AML Bitcoin misrepresenting the development of the technology, its viability, potential business deals, and release date. Among other misrepresentations, Andrade falsely claimed that the Panama Canal Authority was close to permitting AML Bitcoin to be used for ships passing through the Panama Canal when no such agreement existed.
Court documents and evidence presented at trial established that Andrade defrauded cryptocurrency investors out of approximately $10 million. Andrade diverted more than $2 million in proceeds from the sale of AML Bitcoin and spent it on personal expenses, including the purchase of two properties in Texas and two luxury automobiles. The jury also found that Andrade laundered investor funds through a series of bank accounts and then used the funds for his personal expenses and the purchase of the properties and automobiles.
“The defendant made one false claim after another about a sophisticated cryptocurrency offering to create the illusion of a legitimate business. He exploited numerous investors who put their trust in him, not knowing that their hard-earned money was in fact funding his lavish lifestyle. Today, Andrade learned the price of his greed,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “This case emphasizes my Office’s ongoing commitment to prosecuting anyone who undermines the integrity of traditional financial or digital asset markets.”
“Rowland Marcus Andrade promised innovation but delivered deception. He misled innocent people who believed they were investing in the future of digital currency. Instead, their money was used to fund his personal luxury,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “The FBI remains committed to protecting the public from financial fraud and ensuring justice for those who were harmed.”
“Today’s sentencing of Rowland Marcus Andrade is another definitive statement about how white-collar crime does not pay. Mr. Andrade enriched himself by misrepresenting cryptocurrency technological advances he never delivered upon,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen. “IRS-CI agents understand the technology, see through the nefarious lies, and follow the money. Our commitment to protecting individuals from financial fraud is unwavering.”
In addition to the prison term, Chief Judge Seeborg also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered that the defendant pay forfeiture representing the amount of fraudulent proceeds obtained from his crimes. The court ordered a hearing on Sept. 16, 2025, to determine the amount of forfeiture and the amount of restitution owed to victims of Andrade’s crimes. Andrade will begin serving his sentence on Oct. 31, 2025.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christiaan Highsmith, David Ward, and Karen Beausey and Trial Attorney Matthew Chou are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI.
Former SEPTA Officer Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Brian Zenszer, 44, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Harvey Bartle III to 144 months’ imprisonment, seven years of supervised release, and $32,000 restitution for child pornography offenses.
The defendant was charged by indictment in December 2024, and, in April, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Zenszer was employed as a SEPTA police officer.
As presented in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, on or about July 21, 2024, Zenszer knowingly distributed a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and, on or about November 6, 2024, possessed a Samsung cellular phone containing visual depictions of minors, including one or more prepubescent minors who had not attained 12 years of age, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The charges arose from two CyberTips reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding two accounts on the Kik messaging app that had uploaded suspected files of child pornography. Investigators determined both accounts belonged to Zenszer.
“Brian Zenszer broke the law while sworn to uphold it, and the nature of his crimes is truly abhorrent,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Those who trade images of children being sexually abused perpetuate the victimization of the vulnerable, and, like Zenszer, they must be held accountable.”
“Crimes like these are among the most egregious offenses the FBI investigates, and protecting the vulnerable remains one of our top priorities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “This sentencing is a testament to the diligent and unceasing work of the FBI and our law enforcement partners in pursuing justice. We will continue to hold offenders accountable for their crimes and safeguard the innocent from predators.”
“The sentencing of Brian Zenszer sends a clear message that those who engage in the abhorrent act of child pornography will be held accountable,” said Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn. “We are committed to working with our federal partners, like the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to relentlessly pursue and prosecute individuals who exploit children, ensuring justice for victims and protecting the most vulnerable members of our community.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maureen McCartney.
Former New Orleans Attorney Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Commodity Exchange Act ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MICHAEL BRIAN DEPETRILLO, (“DEPETRILLO”), age 43, from New Orleans, was sentenced on July 23, 2025 for violating the Commodity Exchange Act, in violation of Title 7, United States Code, Section 13(a).
According to court documents, DEPETRILLO was not properly registered as a Commodity Pool Operator (“CPO”) or an Associated Person (“AP”) of a CPO with the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). DEPETRILLO, through various companies including, Meteor, LLC; NOLA FX Capital Management, LLC; ELC Enterprise Solutions, LLC; and Argosapolis, LLC, acted as a CPO and AP of a CPO and embezzled client funds in violation of federal law. DEPETRILLO, while acting as an AP of unregistered CPOs, represented to victim investors that their funds would be pooled and invested in the NOLA FX FUND, that, in turn, would be used to trade foreign currency pairs on a leveraged, margined, or financed basis (“retail forex”).
DEPETRILLO lured investors by claiming he was investing their funds by trading in the foreign currency exchange, gold futures options, stocks, and cryptocurrency. Instead of trading as promised, DEPETRILLO misappropriated pool funds. DEPETRILLO then used these misappropriated pool funds to pay approximately $3,700,000 in “returns” to prior investors; approximately $575,000 on his own personal investments; approximately $425,000 on rent; approximately $200,000 on private air travel; and approximately $300,000 on online gambling, among other personal expenses. To conceal DEPETRILLO’s misappropriation, he created and issued fictitious account statements in the names NOLA FX FUND and NOLA FX CAPITAL. The fictitious account statements purported to show that: (1) DEPETRILLO had traded forex using pool participant funds, and (2) the NOLA FX FUND and NOLA FX CAPITAL had achieved significant trading returns for pool participants because of his profitable forex trading. In fact, DEPETRILLO never deposited pool participant funds into trading accounts belonging to NOLA FX FUND or NOLA FX CAPITAL, and he never achieved the trading returns represented on the false account statements. DEPETRILLO also did not set up the forex pool in the manner required by the regulations, did not receive pool participant funds in the name of the forex pool, and commingled pool participant funds with his own funds. DEPETRILLO took in approximately $9.2 million in investor funds from approximately 55 victim investors during a seven-year period.
United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey sentenced DEPETRILLO to 108 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $6,748,412.79, and a $100 court special assessment fee.
The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit and Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Following Fatal Hit-and-Run, Mexico Resident Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Reentry into U.S.Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – On July 28, 2025, a resident of Mexico pleaded guilty to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to 14 months of imprisonment on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Saul Ramirez-Rivera, 26.
According to information presented to the Court, on September 21, 2024, Ramirez-Rivera was involved in a deadly hit-and-run in Dormont, Pennsylvania, for which he was charged, later pleaded guilty, and was sentenced for homicide by vehicle, accident involving death or injury while not licensed, reckless driving, driving without a license, and failure to stop at a red signal.
Through this encounter with law enforcement, immigration authorities determined that Ramirez-Rivera was illegally present in the United States and had not received permission to enter the country after having been previously removed on February 13, 2019, following a conviction in federal court in Arizona for illegal entry. After serving his sentence, Ramirez-Rivera will be returned to immigration custody pending his removal from the United States.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations as well as the Allegheny County Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ramirez-Rivera.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Felon Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm Following Arrest in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Sherwood Russell, 35, of the District of Columbia, has been charged in an indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, on a federal firearms charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful” initiative.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Russell is charged federally with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
According to court documents, on May 4, 2025, members of the MPD’s Third Police District responded to a call for a domestic disturbance on the 2000 block of 11th Street Northwest. Officers observed Russell grabbing a woman by the arms and yelling at her. Russell attempted to flee in his vehicle as officers attempted to stop him. After a struggle, officers were able to detain Russell and observed an open container of alcohol in the front passenger seat. Upon further search of the vehicle, officers discovered a Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol, containing one round of .40 caliber ammunition in the chamber and 25 additional rounds in the 29 round capacity magazine. The pistol was modified with a “giggle” switch that converted the firearm into a fully automatic weapon.
Russell is prohibited from possession of a firearm and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2011 conviction for first degree burglary while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon.
This case is being prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Farrell Resident Pleads Guilty to Possession of Drugs and FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Farrell, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to drug trafficking and firearm crimes, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Daniel George, 36, pleaded guilty before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak to committing two crimes on July 7, 2022: (1) possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, along with quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, and (2) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $5,250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Mercer County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of George.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Dominican National Admits to Illegally Re-Entry; Faces Third DeportationRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national faces deportation for a 3rd time after pleading guilty today in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Celso Herrera-De Los Santos, 49, who was deported in 2011 and in 2017, is currently detained at ACI on Rhode Island state charges of possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession with intent to deliver 1oz to 1 kilo of cocaine.
Herrera came to the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement a week after his May 22, 2025, arrest during a routine screening at the ACI.
Herrera is scheduled to be sentenced on October 23, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A deportation detainer has been lodged in this matter.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter I. Roklan, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Rakai Travall Hawkins, also known as “G,” 30, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 24, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a 7thStreet residence in Huntington and seized approximately 211 grams of fentanyl, 484 grams of methamphetamine, 12 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and a loaded stolen SCCY 9mm pistol. As part of his guilty plea, Hawkins admitted that he stored controlled substances at the residence, possessed the seized controlled substances, and intended to distribute the seized controlled substances for money. Hawkins further admitted that he possessed the seized stolen firearm to protect the controlled substances and the proceeds from distributing them.
Hawkins also admitted to additional criminal conduct as part of his guilty plea. On July 22, 2024, Hawkins was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by a law enforcement officers in Huntington. Hawkins possessed approximately 7 grams of fentanyl and 7.5 grams of crack found in the vehicle during the traffic stop and intended to distribute the controlled substances. On two occasions between August 24 and September 4, 2024, Hawkins sold a total of approximately 58 grams of methamphetamine in Huntington. On four occasions between August 13 and September 19, 2024, Hawkins sold a total of approximately 7.15 grams of fentanyl in Huntington. During one of the fentanyl transactions, Hawkins received the SCCY 9mm pistol in exchange for the controlled substance.
Hawkins is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-51.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing A PistolRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Terrence Jennings (47, Jacksonville) to 18 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Jennings pleaded guilty on April 23, 2025.
According to court records, on May 28, 2024, Jennings was arrested by officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) for failure to pay child support. The officers first encountered Jennings sleeping on a couch. When the officers woke Jennings, they observed a firearm in his waistband. Jennings was handcuffed and a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol was removed from his waistband. When the officers checked Jennings’s criminal history, they discovered he had previous felony convictions, including fleeing to elude a police officer, possession of cocaine, and possession of a firearm on school grounds. As a convicted felon, Jennings is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Columbia Man on State Probation Sentenced to 5 Additional Years in Federal Prison for Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jackie Jermaine Watson, 30, of Columbia, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a sentence that will run consecutively to the sentence he is currently serving in state prison for violating his probation.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on April 22, 2024, Columbia Police Department officers responded to a motel on North Main Street to investigate a stolen moped. Officers found the moped, and when Watson saw officers inspecting it, he confronted them. Watson eventually admitted to buying the moped on the street from a drug user. Officers obtained a search warrant for the motel room where Watson had been staying and they found a .40 caliber pistol, 62 grams of crack cocaine, 473 grams of marijuana, along with Watson’s driver’s license and court paperwork. Officers also found the key to the moped, which Watson previously denied having in his possession.
Watson has prior convictions for assault and battery first degree, possession of a stolen pistol, and burglary. Watson was on state probation for his prior stolen pistol conviction at the time of this incident. Watson was also a prior participant in the City of Columbia’s Project Ceasefire program that calls in certain probationers and provides access to a variety of social service organizations designed to assist the person in staying on the right track and preventing recidivism. Participants are also warned that any future crimes will result in an expedited prosecution.
United States District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Frazier to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. That 60-month sentence will begin after Watson completes the state sentence he is currently serving. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sanford is prosecuting the case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Willie Roger Davis, 35, of Columbia, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Columbia Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on a rental moving truck that was being sought by the owner. Davis immediately exited the driver’s seat and began walking toward police officers. Officers searched Davis and found a .357 revolver in his pants pocket, which he admitted getting from a family member. Davis has prior convictions for armed robbery, strong arm robbery, and burglary.
United States District Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Frazier to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sanford is prosecuting the case.
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Chicago Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Carjacking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man who carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint on the city’s West Side and fired a handgun while attempting to carjack another vehicle has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
The carjacking and attempted carjacking by KIAR EVANS occurred within minutes of each other on the afternoon of May 20, 2021. Evans first approached a Chevrolet Impala near the intersection of Independence Boulevard and Congress Parkway in Chicago and fired shots through a window while attempting to get inside. The driver of the Impala was able to drive away from the scene.
Evans then approached the driver-side window of a Nissan Altima, pointed a firearm at the driver, and demanded that the driver exit the vehicle. The victim complied and Evans drove off in the Nissan. Evans was driving the stolen vehicle a short time later when he was involved in a multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Harrison Street and Ogden Avenue in Chicago. Chicago Police officers arrested Evans and discovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun in his possession. As a previously convicted felon, Evans was not lawfully allowed to possess the firearm.
Evans, 26, has remained detained in federal custody since his arrest. Last year, a jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago convicted Evans on all four counts against him, including one count of carjacking, one count of attempted carjacking, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold imposed the 18-year prison sentence during a hearing in federal court on July 18, 2025.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
“Defendant wielded a gun that had been rendered fully automatic throughout his spree of violence and did not hesitate to use that gun to intimidate his victims and force his will upon them,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige A. Nutini and Jimmy L. Arce argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “His selfish actions exhibited a total disregard for the safety and well-being of others; and by sheer luck, none of defendant’s victims was seriously injured. Defendant’s conduct is a very serious crime, and the public needs to understand that these crimes justify a substantial sentence.”
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
A man who robbed an individual who was selling drugs was sentenced today to more than 11 years in federal prison.
Dequan Autrell Jenkins, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 26, 2025 guilty plea to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence.
On June 24, 2024, Jenkins and another person met with an individual in Cedar Rapids to purchase fentanyl. During the transaction, Jenkins pulled out a firearm and robbed the individual of the fentanyl and the individual’s backpack. Jenkins was prohibited from possessing firearms based on prior felony convictions.
Jenkins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Jenkins was sentenced to 141 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Jenkins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-93.
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Bronx Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison in Connection with Shooting of Five-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that AUSTIN MORRISHOW was sentenced today to 15 years in prison—the maximum sentence prescribed by statute—for illegally possessing ammunition in connection with a June 30, 2023, shooting in which MORRISHOW fired multiple shots at fleeing vehicles on a residential street in the Bronx, striking and seriously injuring a five-year-old girl. MORRISHOW previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, who imposed today’s sentence, as well as the sentence of MORRISHOW’s co-defendant, CURTIS WHITE, on July 9, 2025.
“On June 30, 2023, Austin Morrishow and his co-defendant, Curtis White, fired several shots while attending a sidewalk vigil for someone who, in a sad twist of irony, was killed in a shooting,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Morrishow’s brazen acts left a bullet in a five-year-old child’s chest. Instead of accepting responsibility, Morrishow remained a fugitive for eight months. Today’s sentence sends an important message: if you threaten the lives of innocent New Yorkers through senseless gun violence, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint and Indictment, court filings, and statements made in court proceedings:
On June 30, 2023, MORRISHOW, WHITE, and several others were gathered on a residential sidewalk in the Bronx, attending a vigil for an individual who had been killed by gunfire just the day before. As three cars idled nearby, one of the cars backfired, causing the group attending the vigil to drop to the ground and scatter. MORRISHOW took cover behind a parked vehicle for a few seconds before aiming a .40 caliber pistol at the three nearby cars while draped over the roof of the parked vehicle, assuming a shooting stance, and emptying his .40 caliber pistol at the three nearby cars. Shortly after MORRISHOW began shooting, WHITE sprinted after the three fleeing cars, firing his .380 caliber pistol wildly. The shots fired by MORRISHOW and WHITE left at least seven .40 caliber shell casings and two .380 caliber shell casings in the street, and bullet fragments, bullet holes, and shattered windows in nearby parked cars. One of the shots fired by MORRISHOW hit a five-year-old girl sitting in the backseat of one of the cars in the chest, narrowly missing her vital organs. Photographs of MORRISHOW firing his handgun at the fleeing vehicles and the back of the vehicle in which the five-year-old girl was sitting, with bullet holes circled in red, are below.
MORRISHOW and WHITE fled immediately after the shooting. Although WHITE was apprehended shortly after the shooting in July 2023, MORRISHOW evaded law enforcement until February 2024. MORRISHOW was not permitted to possess ammunition because of, among other felony convictions, a prior federal conviction for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a narcotics conspiracy, for which he was sentenced to 60 months in prison. At the time of the shooting, MORRISHOW was also serving a term of supervised release in connection with his previous federal conviction. WHITE was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition because of his prior state conviction for attempted first-degree assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon.
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In addition to the prison term, MORRISHOW, 27, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution to the victim of the shooting. WHITE, 28, of the Bronx, New York, was previously sentenced to 51 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim of the shooting.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, and thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance with the investigation and apprehension of the defendants.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry J. Fang is in charge of the prosecution.
Belle Vernon Woman Ordered to Pay $116,000 in Restitution for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution of $116,758 on her convictions of social security fraud and theft of government property, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Teresa Sabolek, 68.
According to information presented to the Court, in May 2009, Sabolek applied for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSI is a monthly, needs-based payment benefit that is afforded to people with disabilities and elderly who have little or no income. Applicants are required to report their wages, assets, and living arrangements, which are considered by the agency in determining eligibility for SSI.
In her application, Sabolek alleged that her husband did not live with her at their Belle Vernon home and, in June 2022, submitted a signed statement in which she declared under penalty of perjury that her husband had not lived with her since she first applied for SSI in May 2009. Also in 2022, Sabolek applied for spousal benefits on her husband’s Social Security benefits. When the SSA clerk pulled the husband’s file, the clerk recognized that the file contained a sworn statement from the husband indicating that he shared a residence with his wife in Belle Vernon.
A subsequent investigation by SSA’s Office of the Inspector General determined that the husband’s driver’s license, mailing address, and registered vehicles all related to the same address where Sabolek represented to the SSA that she lived alone for over 13 years. In December 2024, agents visited the Sabolek home, where the husband answered the door and it was determined that the husband indeed had a room in the house and paid the home’s mortgage and utilities. Had Sabolek informed the SSA that her husband also lived at the residence, she would not have received any SSI benefits. Sabolek received $116,758 in SSI benefits for which she was not eligible between May 2009 and August 2022.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Sabolek.
Beaumont parolee sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography at halfway houseRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont parolee has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
James Richard Rollins, 39, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 29, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on October 27, 2023, law enforcement authorities were dispatched in reference to a parole supervisor who was in possession of a parolee’s cellular phone, which contained videos and images of child pornography. Officers spoke with the unit supervisor for the Beaumont halfway house who reported that Rollins, a parolee and resident of the halfway house, was observed by another resident watching child pornography on his cell phone.
Further investigation revealed Rollins’ phone contained numerous photos and videos depicting minors in sexually explicit situations, including having sex acts performed on them by adults. Many of those images depicted prepubescent children. Rollins admitted to downloading and viewing images of child pornography on his phone. Based on the investigation, Rollins is responsible for possessing 3,680 images containing child pornography.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Rachel Grove.
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Auburn, Washington man who converted garage to a fentanyl pill manufacturing lab sentenced to 11 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 59-year-old Auburn, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 11 years in prison for his fentanyl trafficking activities, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Johnny Elias was arrested in November 2024. Earlier in the year, law enforcement learned that Elias was purchasing drugs including fentanyl from another target of investigation and later determined he had purchased an industrial pill press, intending to manufacture fentanyl pills for greater profit.
At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, “You were a counselor to at-risk youth and at the same time were engaged in a practice that was killing one to two young people each day…. These are not recreational drugs. They are basically – in the case of fentanyl – a murder weapon.”
“This defendant claimed to be operating a vitamin manufacturing business, when in fact he was manufacturing potentially deadly fentanyl pills,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “To protect his drug business, he possessed two loaded handguns and a loaded rifle. Those firearms and his $16,000 pill manufacturing machine are being forfeited to the government.”
“The deadly nature of the four kilograms of fentanyl powder that Mr. Elias was manufacturing into pills is easy to count: It could have yielded over 300,000 lethal doses,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Mr. Elias clearly knew the dangers of his scheme and took steps to protect himself from overdose and violence, callously disregarding these dangers he foisted on others. I am proud that DEA and our partners could protect our community from him and this sentence ensures that he will not threaten our health and safety for a long time.”
According to records filed in the case, from at least October 2023 to September 2024, Elias was on the radar of law enforcement as a drug trafficker. The investigation revealed that he had set up a company called ‘Bodacious Vitamins LLC’ out of his Auburn address. Using some of his drug dealing proceeds, Elias purchased an industrial grade pill press for over $16,000. On
November 18,2024, Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided Elias’s residence and found the garage had been converted to a pill manufacturing lab. In addition to the pill press, agents found four kilograms of blue fentanyl powder as well as manufactured pills containing fentanyl and heroin. The lab contained items such as scales and baggies for packaging drugs for sale. Elias also had Narcan – an overdose reversal medication – indicating he knew the danger of the fentanyl he was processing into pills.
In March 2025, Elias pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture and distribute, unlawful
possession of firearms, and money laundering.
In asking for a 15-year prison sentence, Prosecutor Max Shiner wrote to the court, “Johnny Elias distributed kilogram quantities of fentanyl pills and worked his way up to having a functioning pill press operation in which he could use fentanyl powder and cutting agents to produce thousands of counterfeit M30 Oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl for distribution throughout Western Washington…. The possession of firearms in connection with his drug trafficking greatly increases the severity of the offense. Like his possession of Narcan at his basement drug lab, Elias’ possession of firearms shows his awareness of the dangerousness of his drug dealing.”
Judge Robart ordered Elias to be on four years of supervised release following sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Shiner.
Appeals Court Upholds Denaturalization of Human Rights Violator and Former Bosnian Soldier Convicted of War CrimesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the decision of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon that revoked the naturalized U.S. citizenship of a convicted Bosnian war criminal. Sammy Yetisen hid from immigration officials that she had engaged in human rights violations and war crimes in Bosnia, including the deaths of several civilians and prisoners of war.
Yetisen was born in a town in the former Yugoslavia. When the Yugoslav republics began seceding in the 1990s, Yetisen joined the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was formed by the newly independent Bosnian state, as part of a special forces detachment known as the Zulfikar Unit. The unit was renowned as elite and was particularly cruel, often beating, sexually assaulting, burning, and cutting prisoners. As a member of the Zulfikar Unit, Yetisen participated in the Trusina Massacre, a horrific attack on April 13, 1993, in which Yetisen and others lined up six unarmed Croat prisoners of war and civilians and executed them by firing squad.
“The United States is not a safe haven for individuals who commit war crimes and human rights abuses around the globe,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “If you come to this country and hide those acts in your past to become a U.S. citizen, the Justice Department will discover the truth and come after you.”
In 1996, Yetisen came to the United States as a refugee, after alleging she had been persecuted as a Muslim, and in 2001, Yetisen applied for naturalization. Throughout her immigration proceedings Yetisen omitted her service in the Zulfikar Unit and participation in extrajudicial killings. She became a U.S. citizen in 2002.
In 2009, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Prosecutor’s Office issued a warrant for Yetisen’s arrest, alleging that she had committed war crimes against civilians and prisoners of war. The United States extradited Yetisen to Bosnia in 2011 where Yetisen pleaded guilty to committing war crimes and was sentenced in 2012 to five-and-a-half-years in prison. After completing her sentence, Yetisen returned to the United States.
In 2018, the Justice Department filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon seeking Yetisen’s denaturalization based on her crimes and failure to disclose them. In 2023, the court entered an order revoking Yetisen’s citizenship. On July 21, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the District of Oregon’s revocation of Yetisen’s U.S. citizenship.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations Human Rights Violator and War Crimes Center and the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation with consultation and support from ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Seattle Office of the Chief Counsel, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Chief Counsel, Western Law Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance to secure the 2011 extradition of Yetisen to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The case was jointly prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsels Devin Barrett and Steven Platt, and Trial Attorney Nancy Pham with review from Senior Litigation Counsel Max Weintraub of OIL ‒ General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit and support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianne Schweiner for the District of Oregon.